This invention is directed to an electric watch module battery retainer where a spring engages the batteries in an electric watch to resiliently restrain them in the watch module so that the module is retained together as an operative unit even outside of the watch case.
In electric watch structures, and paticularly electronic watch structures wherein display of time is digital, as by light emitting diode patterns or liquid crystal display devices, a watch module includes a battery block. Openings therein receive various types of components, including batteries. Often a substrate is mounted against the battery block, with electronic components mounted on the substrate. Usually the display is mounted on the side of the substrate opposite the battery. The substrate and battery block are clamped together so that they form a watch module. An example of this construction is found in R. A. Burke, R. F. Zurcher, and B. Somogyi U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,689. In that disclosure, the structure is clamped together so that a unitary watch module is created with all the operative parts except the batteries assembled together for handlimg, testing, and shipping. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,735 for Electronic Watch Construction by R. F. Zurcher shows another type of module construction wherein the entire module is clamped together at assembly so that a unitary structure results.
Oftentimes the modules are built and not immediately installed into a watch case. This occurs when the modules are assembled, the batteries installed, the watches set and tested, before being passed onto the next department where they are installed in cases. A fixture or storage or shipping container is necessary in such case to hold the batteries in place and make the electrical contact between the batteries to keep the watch running. Sometimes the module manfuacturer ships the operative module in a suitable shipping container, with batteries installed with the module keeping time. When the module is installed in the case, either soon after manufacture or after storage or shipping, it is desirable to transfer the module into the case without breaking the power supply from the battery to the timekeeping electronics, because the breaking of the power supply causes the watch to lose its time memory so that it must be reset. Transfer of the module into the case without breaking the power supply keeps the watch running and elminates the time consuming effort of resetting the watch. Thus, it is desirable to provide a battery retainer for an electric watch module which retains the batteries in electrical connection in the watch and physically retains them in place to unitize the module-battery combination and provide continuity in timekeeping, even when the module is out of the case.